Twelve Days
by Ember Nickel
Summary: Christmases with the Weasley grandchildren, a hundred words each.
1. 2001

There was a tiny Weasley sweater (V) and a Pride of Portree onesie, a music box and a box of self-cleaning diapers, a pack of Chocolate Frogs and a model dragon that Victoire stomped on the floor as the festivities continued, puffs of smoke rising from its mouth.

"'Zis is just too much," Fleur insisted, and Bill sighed. "It's nice that not all of us are so poor these days, but there are probably going to be more cousins in the future. Maybe we don't all have to buy Christmas gifts for each niece and nephew every year?"


	2. 2008

"Louis? Louis, it's time for bed."

Louis' drooping eyelids belied his insistent "'m not tired." He crossed his arms. "'m gonna stay up and see Père Noël."

"He'll come once you go to sleep," Bill began, but all of a sudden the fireplace roared to life. A tall, dark figure stepped out of the Floo network—and stumbled over Louis' outset shoes.

"Père Noel! Are you okay?"

"Happy Christmas, Louis!" The new arrival rose unsteadily. "Isn't it past your bedtime?

"...Aunt Angelina?"

Bill chuckled. "We celebrate Christmas a little differently over here."


	3. 2010

"This one is from Grammy and Gramps," she grinned. Grandma Molly squinted; little Molly couldn't see Audrey mouth _My parents—don't worry, it's cheap._ Grandpa Arthur eagerly ripped the paper off, gasping at the plastic extravagance within.

They had to pause the festivities so he could dig out some batteries (the previous year's bonus). He gasped as the flashlight _click_ed_, _on, _click_edoff.

"This is magnificent!" He snuggled her close. He wasn't supposed to have favorites, but she was his little Molly, his Squib, and she could show him a world beyond his imagination. It was just like magic.


	4. 2011

"_Then over the hill  
Came th' clompety-clomp  
Of the rampaging Hairy MacBoon.  
Odo..._innit summat about a stomp, next?" Bill asked woozily.

"Ends with "swoon,"" Charlie noted. "Bloody reasonable plan if you ask me."

"Wait a tick," Ron cut in, "we missed the verse 'bout the Sphinx."

"Didn't either, mate," Bill replied.

"And _that_," said Fleur, "is why you do not drink Firewhisky. Your father and uncles are very silly for doing so."

"It makes people sing bad?" Dominique asked.

"Yes. Yes, and your voice is too angelic to risk."


	5. 2012

The ornament buzzed near eye level as Roxanne clutched the handle of the toy broomstick. She soared past a red bauble, reaching for the Snitch—and grasped only pine needles, immediately plummeting two entire feet to the floor.

Fred shot a crowing glance at her as she tried not to cry, sulking instead to the couch. The Snitch ornament fluttered to the top of the tree, perching on the star there.

Roxanne's lips smugly protruded. "You can't reach it either."

"I told you we shouldn't have used your "special" ornaments," Angelina told George. "These are trouble enough."


	6. 2013

"Hugo?" said Hermione. "Come over here and sign your name on this."

_H-u-q-o_, he printed (Gs are tricky), his face contorting in determination. "What's this?"

"This is a Christmas present for Grandma and Grandpa Granger," she smiled.

"Ooh. What is it?"

"A new waffle iron. Remember how yummy Grandma Granger's waffles are?"

"Yummy!" he agreed, but immediately began brainstorming. "Could we get 'em a Harpies scarf, too? Or a chessboard like Dad's? Waffles are good but just giving them a kitchen thing is kinda boring."

Hermione smiled weakly. "Maybe next year."


	7. 2014

"Mum?" Rose asked.

"Yes, dear?"

"How old do kids have to be before they can do wandless magic?"

"Well, with some it happens as early as two or three. You were four when you Transfigured Hugo's teddy."

"Any newborns?"

"Newborn babies? There've probably been a few, I'd have to look it up."

"How could a young child maintain a new star for as long as it took the Wise Men to show up?"

"Well, there's magic and then there's...the miraculous, I suppose," Hermione began, while Ron yelled "Didn't they just Apparate?"


	8. 2015

"I have one more present for you."

"Oh?"

"This...belonged to my father. I used it when I was at Hogwarts, I think it's your turn to put it on. Just..." Harry sighed. "Try not to get into _too_ much trouble, okay?"

"Hey, it's your old cloak! Don't you need it for Auror stuff?"

Harry laughed. "I think I can handle whatever I come across, cloak or no cloak."

_Death won't come for me right away. Besides, I stayed at Hogwarts my first Christmas there. James didn't._

_This'll stave off a _few _days of mayhem._


	9. 2018

The green bangles bounced off Lucy's skin as she trundled down the stairs. "Where'd you get that necklace, honey?" Audrey asked. "It looks beautiful on you."

"Cepheus gave it to me."

"That was...very nice of him."

"Uh-huh. Cepheus's mum and dad are really rich, and he got Susan something too, she's probably opening it right now."

"That's nice. Did you get them anything?"

"Yes, Violet brought me some sweets back from Hogsmeade I'm giving to them. But I won't see them till next year. Why do I have to come home _every _Christmas?"


	10. 2020

Albus was excited to go to Hogsmeade for the first time; he'd bought sweets like everyone else that day. But once he saw the present, he saved up his money. It'd look _perfect _on his mother.

He hid his impatience Christmas morning as James and Lily went through their stockings, until Ginny finally reached for hers. "Oh, Harry," she exclaimed, "It's beautiful!"

"Huh?" said Harry, turning to the locket. "I didn't—where'd you get _that_?"

"That's not from you?"

"I bought that," Albus finally blurted.

"How...generous of you," Harry laughed, mouthing _Later_ to Ginny.


	11. 2023

"How're the O.W.L. classes going?" asked Percy.

Lily sighed. "All right. Charms and Care of Magical Creatures are fun, I do well in the theory of Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions, but I'm rubbish on the practicals."

"Not to worry, my dear, I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Perce," George interrupted, "you do know in a couple of years they'll graduate and you won't have anyone to pester, right?"

"Oh, I daresay I will in time." He winked at a blushing Victoire and Teddy. "Now, about Potions. Are you using approved cauldrons...?"


	12. 2024

The silence grated. Roxanne finally said, "Well, let's turn on the radio."

"We've got a single on the way from a grooving expat in France," heralds the announcer, then it was

_Here on my own  
In the City of Lights  
Whispering anthems  
Into Christmas night_

The Weasleys glanced at each other, George slow to speak. "He...needed to leave, didn't he? To be himself, for once."

To their east, Fred Weasley downed a toast to families strange and miraculous. Some year he'd come back, be Fred II, but that day he was Fred and that was a gift.


End file.
